Safety razor magazine



Amig gy 196 P. W. DoUGLAss ETAL 3,375,577

SAFETY RAZOR MAGAZ INE Filed Sept. 14, 1966 Api 29 @1958 Filed Sept. 14, 1966 FIG 8 F. W, DOUGLAS'S ETAL SAFETY RAZOR MAGAZINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l||| IIIIII Il llllll II 76 2 37 so M204 3,375,577 SAFETY RAZGR MAGAZINE Paul W. Douglass, Winchester, and `Ioseph E. Koehler, Norwell, Mass., assignors to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 579,334 13 Claims. (Cl. 3040.1)

ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A shaving geometry adjustment arrangement for a razor blade cartridge Containing a continuous band of ribbon like blade includes a shaving platform on which the blade is supported in the shaving zone and a guard bar that is molded integral with the shaving platform and secured to that platform by a flexible hinge element. This hinge is an imperforate web 0.005 inch in depth which is reinforced with rib elements, each of which has a depth of 0.015 inch and a width of 0.030 inch, and which are spaced 0.060 inch apart. An adjusting lever is molded integral with the web and extends rearwardly to engage an adjusting device. The adjusting device is a disc having a helical camming groove 0.040 inch in depth formed in it, which groove rises from a radius of 0.3185 inch to a radius of `0.4040 inch.

This invention relates to safety razors of the type that employ a continuous ribbon-like blade in an arrangement in which successive lengths of the vblade may be sequentially advanced into shaving position by the user, and more particularly to a blade magazine construction for use in such razors which incorporates an arrangement for adjusting the shaving geometry of the razor.

It is frequently desirable to provide a construction in a safety razor which enables the user to adjust the shaving geometry (the relationship between the sharpened edge of the razor blade as exposed in the blade holder with respect to the shaving guard and/or the clamping cap) to suit his individual preferences and/ or shaving requirements. A number of unique problems arise in connection with a ribbon type razor construction, however. For example, as the major components that affect shaving geometry are part of the replaceable componentthe magazine-the production cost of the adjustable feature to the extent that it is incorporated in the replaceable component must be minimized in order to be economically competitive. Nonetheless the shaving geometry configuration must 'be established and maintained throughout the useful life of the magazine with reproducible precision. The adjustment mechanism should be easy to operate and permit a wide range of shaving geometries while not creating any potentially hazardous condition for the user. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved ribbon-type razor blade magazine structure which provides adjustable and yet precise shaving geometry configurations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved shaving geometry adjustment arrangement in a ribbon type razor blade magazine which is easy and safe to use and which permits adjustment of the shaving geometry over a wide range of values.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved ribbed type razor blade lmagazine construction incorporating a shaving geometry adjustment arrangement that is economically adaptable to high volume production techniques, both in the manufacture of the magazine components and in the assembly of those components into a magazine unit.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a States Patent O 3,375,577 Patented Apr. 2, 1968 ice magazine having housed therein a continuous ribbon-like razor blade that includes sever-a1 shaving portions in series, which magazine is adapted to be removably received in a holder member to form a safety razor. The magazine member includes structure that defines a blade supply position, a blade take-up position and a blade path that extends through a shaving zone from the supply position to the take-up position. At the shaving zone, the structure defining the blade path includes a blade support platform that receives a shaving length of the ribbon type fblade and supports that length of blade in shaving position. The magazine member preferably is formed of two principal components, a back and a cover. Formed integrally with the back component in that embodiment is the blade support platform and a blade guard structure that extends in generally parallel spaced relation to and is disposed forwardly and downwardly with respect to the -blade support platform. The guard structure is secured to the blade platform by a flexible hinge element that defines an adjusting axis that extends parallel to the front edge of the blade support platform and the guard structure and is located immediately below the front edge 0f the blade support platform. Also formed integrally with the guard structure is an adjusting portion which extends beneath the blade support platform. An adjusting device carried by the magazine and preferably by the back component thereof moves the guard relative to the blade support platform about the defined axis so that the shaving geometry of the razor is readily adjusted. In the preferred embodiment, this adjusting device includes two parallel spaced camming surfaces which engage cooperating surfaces of the adjusting portion to positively move the adjusting portion in either direction. That adjusting device is rotatably mounted and includes a latch element formed integrally with a resilient bridge member which cooperates with a plurality of spaced latch portions in an arrangement which permits positive latching but ready release under manually applied rotary force. The cover component in the preferred embodiment includes an integrally formed reinforcing element which in turn is reinforced by the back component so that the desired geometry of the hinge-guard-support platform configuration is maintained throughout the permitted range of adjustment.

The invention provides a magazine for a ribbon type razor blade element in which all the components necessary for adjusting shaving geometry are incorporated in a compact arrangement which is easy to operate to provide precise shaving geometry congurations over a wide range of values, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which is compatible for manufacture with high volume production techniques.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention Will be seen as the following description of a particular embodiment thereof progresses, in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a safety razor of the holder and magazine type constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the safety razor shown in FIG. 1, taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the safety razor structure shown in FIG. 1 with parts thereof broken away;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the magazine structure employed in the safety razor shown in FIG. 1 with the front wall of the cover broken away;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the camming element employed in the magazine structure shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a sectional View of that camming structure, taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational View of the back member of the magazine; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are two enlarged views showing the shaving geometry configuration of the safety razor structure shown in FIG. 1 in two different positions as controlled by the adjustment arrangement.

With reference to FIGS. 1-3 the safety razor structure there illustrated includes a holder member 10 in which a magazine member 12 is releasably secured. This razor structure is generally of the type shown in the Nissen Patent No. 3,262,198 issued July 26, 1966.

The magazine member 12 includes a back element 14 and a cover element 16 which is secured to the back element by snap type connectors. It is preferred that the components of the magazine structure be manufactured of a moldable organic plastic capable of being subjected to repeated deformation stresses. A suitable plastic material for the back member 14 is an acetyl plastic sold under the name Celcon and a suitable plastic material for the cover member 16 is an acetyl plastic sold under the name Delrin.

With reference to FIG. 4 the back element 14 includes a generally planar base 18 having an upstanding cylindrical wall member 20 located intermediate the ends of the base. This cylindrical wall 20 defines a cylindrical supply chamber which receives a coil of shaving blade 22. Adjacent one end of the base 18 is formed an upstanding planar blade support platform 24 having a blade support surface that extends generally perpendicular to the plane of the base 18. Adjacent the other end of the base is a circular aperture 26 in which is rotatably disposed an arbor 28 that has a slot 30 therein that receives one end of blade 22. A portion of reduced width at point 32 in slot 30 engages a tab 34 secured to the end of blade 22 so that the end of the blade is firmly secured to the arbor 28.

Blade 22 extends from the supply chamber defined by cylindrical wall 20 past a first guide surface 40' formed in the magazine cover 16, a second guide surface 42 formed at the end of the blade support platform 24, along the blade support platform to a third guide surface 44 formed at the other end of the platform, then to a fourth guide surface 46 formed in the cover and finally to the take-up arbor 28. The blade element 22 in this embodiment is a strip of stainless steel 0.0015 inch in thickness` and 0.1895 inch in width having a sharpened forward edge 50 and an unsharpened rear edge S2 (as best indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9).

Formed at the rear end of the blade support platform 24 at each end thereof is a vertical pad surface 60 which provides a guide for the rear edge 52 of the ribbon blade 22. Disposed above the blade Support platform 24 and extending forwardly over that platform are a series of four spaced tabs 62 which act as guides contributing to the definition of the path of the blade 22 through the shaving zone defined by the blade support platform 24. Below the blade support platform is formed a guard structure 68 that includes a guard surface 70 at its forward end. This guard structure is secured to the blade support platform by a web hinge element 72 which is secured to the blade -support platform at the front edge 74 of that platform. This hinge web 72 in the illustrated embodiment is an imperforate web 0.005 inch in depth which is reinforced with rib elements 76, each of which has a depth of 0.015 inch and a width of 0.030 inch, and which are spaced 0.060 inch apart. Slots 78 are provided in the guard member between guard surface 70 and front edge 74 to permit movement of hair elements or other debris that might acumulate during the shaving operation away from the shaving zone. Extending rearwardly from hinge web 72 and integral therewith is an adjusting lever element 80 in the form of a fiat elongated member that has a stud 82 projecting from its rear surface.

The cover 16 is secured to the back 14 such that its upper surface 90 is substantially aligned with the front edge 74 of shaving platform 24 and in firm continuous engagement with a lower surface portion of the guard structure and a seal between the cover and the back elements is provided at that point which prevents debris from entering the interior of the magazine and the blade storage compartments. Dowel pins 92 extend rearwardly from the inside surface of the inside wall of cover 16 and are received in holes 94 in the back element 14. The cooperation of these dowel pins 92 within holes 94 assists the proper registration and position of the cover 16 on the base element 18 and contributes to securing these elements together to form the complete magazine 12.

The holder 10 has formed at its upper end a head portion having a forwardly projecting elongated lip 102 and a downwardly extending supporting web 104 rigidly connected at its lower end to handle 106. The lip 102 on head 100 is provided with slots 108 which receive in mating relation the blade guide tabs 62 on the upper side of the magazine. Lip 102 extends over the entire width of the head and has a substantially fiat blade engaging land surface on its under side. As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 when magazine 12 is secured in holder 10 this land surface `110 iengages and urges blade 22 downwardly into contact with the blade supporting platform 24 so as to firmly clamp the exposed shaving portion ofthe blade against the supporting surface in fiat shaving position.

A blade advancing lever is rotatably journaled in opening 122 of web 104. This blade advancing lever has secured to it a locating pin 124, the forward end of which. is frictionally received in bore 126 of arbor 28, and a driving pawl 128 which engages with a lug on the arbor` when the magazine is mounted in the holder so that, when the blade advancing lever 120 is rotated, the arbor is turned to advance a fresh portion of blade 22 into shaving position.

A latch structure 130 `is pivotally mounted on the holder immediately below the holder recess that receives magazine 12. When the magazine 12 is mounted in the holder 10, as indicated in FIG. 2, the latch structure 130 biases the magazine upwardly towards lip 102 to clamp the length of the blade 22 in the shaving zone against the blade support platform 24. When the thumb piece of the latch structure 130 is pressed inwardly a rear cam surface of the latch structure acts against the bottom of the magazine to release the magazine 12 and permit it to be removed from the holder 10.

As best seen in FIG. 7, there `is provided in the magazine base 18 an aperture 150 that is disposed concentrically with the cylindrical supply chamber defined by wall 20. This aperture has a series of nine positioning notches 152 spaced about its periphery. A camming element of configuration best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 is disposed in aperture 150. This camming element has disc portion 162 and a boss portion 164 with a rib 166 extending about the periphery of the boss for engagement with the wall of aperture 150 as indicated in FIG. 2 so that the camming element is secured for rotation in aperture 150. Formed integrally with boss 164 is a T-shaped latch structure having a thin, resilient transverse web extending across the diameter of the boss and a laterally extending latch leg 172 that projects through gap 174 in the wall of boss 164 and has a depending foot portion 176 which extends` downwardly from the` boss through the plane of the disc portion 162. The cam disc 162 carries on its upper surface as viewed in FIG. 6 a helical cam groove 1800.040 inch in depth. This cam groove 180 rises from a radius at end 182 of 0.3185 inch to a radius at end 184 of 0.4040 inch, a rise of 0.0107' the shaving geometry, that is the position of the guard surface 70 relative to blade edge 50.

On the reverse surface of disc 162 from the grooved surface there is provided a sequence of numbers 190 which provide an indication of the position of groove 180 with respect to lever 80. When the magazine 12 is positioned in holder (as indicated in FIG. 1) a number 190 is visible through aperture 192 and provides an indication of the adjusted position of guard 70.

Several distinct relationships are useful in evaluating shaving geometry. With reference to FIG. 8, a line 200 may be drawn tangent the outer surface of lip 102 and the guard surface 70. The distance D that the sharpened edge 50 of the blade 22 projects in a direction perpendicular to line 200 may be termed exposure Another concept useful in defining shaving geometry is the tangent angle A between line 202 (the plane of blade 22) and line 204 (a line tangent to the surface of guard 70 and the sharpened edge S0 of blade 22). A further dimension of the razor structure that may be varied to have a significant eiiect on the comfort and/or effectiveness of shaving is the distance S (termed herein span) between the sharpened edge 50 of blade 22 and the tangent point of the guard 70 as indicated by lines 206 and 208, respectively.

The structure of the invention moves the guard surface 70 relative to the sharpened edge 50 of the blade about an axis (approximately at point 210) located in the hinge web 72 substantially in alignment with the front edge 74 of the blade support platform. Through movement of lever 80 in response to the adjusting member 160, the tip of guard surface 70 is caused to move generally along the path 212.

In the illustrated embodiment a normal value of tangent angle (with stud 82 engaged in the mid-point of groove 180) of 31 is provided. The exposure in this position is about 0.0034 inch and the span is about 0.062 inch. Through adjustment to the position shown in FIG. 9 the tangent angle is increased 6 to 37 while increasing the exposure to about 0.0062 inch and the span to about 0.675 inch. When the tangent angle is decreased to 22 30' a negative exposure of 0.0014 inch results and span decreases to 0.0541 inch. In the illustrated structure the rate of change of the ratio of span to tangent angle increases as the tangent angle decreases. Thus, with reduced span and reduced exposure, a safer shave is available at small tangent angles.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a compact magazine for a ribbon type razor blade which incorporates an arrangement for adjusting the shaving geometry that permits a wide range of shaving geometries to be obtained in coordinated relation with ease and precision. The magazine is compatible for economical manufacture by high volume production techniques employing plastic materials.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or to details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a safety razor, a magazine member adapted to be received in a holder member, said magazine member adapted to store a ribbon-like blade of uniform width having a longitudinally extending rear edge and a parallel sharpened front edge,

said magazine member comprising structure defining a blade supply position, a blade take-up position and a blade path extending between said supply position and said take-up position, said structure defining said blade path including a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving a shaving length of blade in supporting position with the sharpened edge of the blade projecting beyond the front edge of said support platform,

a blade guard structure extending in generally parallel spaced relation to and disposed forwardly and down- Wardly relative to the front edge of said blade support platform,

structure defining a hinge axis parallel to the front edge of said blade support platform, said hinge axis structure securing said guard structure to said platform,

said blade guard structure including an adjusting portion extending beneath said blade support platform,

adjusting vmeans mounted on said magazine for cooperation with said adjusting portion to move said guard structure relative to said blade support platform about said hinge axis for adjusting the shaving geometry of said razor,

a fixed reinforcing mem'ber disposed in alignment with said hinge axis structure and with the front edge of said blade support platform and in contact with said hinge axis structure for maintaining the spacial relationship of said guard structure relative to said blade support platform,

and blade take-up mechanism coupled to said take-up position for advancing a blade stored in said magazine member to position a sequence of shaving portions of said blade on said blade support platform.

2. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said hinge axis defining structure is a flexible Web element connecting said guard structure to said platform.

3. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 and further including a manually releasable latch for locking said adjusting means'in a series of positions to provide a sequence of different shaving geometries, said latch including a series of spaced latch surfaces on said magazine for engagement with a latch member carried by said adjusting means, and wherein said latch member carried by said adjusting means includes a leg member having a latch surface at one end for engagement with said series of latch surfaces, said leg member at its other end being connected to a resilient bridge member permitting said leg member a limited freedom of movement.

4. The magazine member as claimed in claim 3 wherein said adjusting means is rotatably mounted on said magazine.

5. The magazine member as claimed in claim 4 wherein said magazine includes a back component and a cover component and said structure defining said supply position, said take-up position and said blade platform are all formed on said back component, and wherein said adjusting means is mounted for rotation about an axis coincident with said supply position.

6. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said adjusting means includes two parallel spaced camming surfaces for engagement with cooperating surfaces of said adjusting portion to positively move said guard structure in either direction about said hinge axis.

7. The magazine member as claimed in claim 6 wherein said magazine includes a back component and a cover component and wherein said back component has an aperture therein for receiving said adjusting means and a plurality of spaced latching surface elements,

and a cooperating latch member mounted on said adjusting means for engagement with said latch surface elements to lock said adjusting means in a series of positions to provide a sequence of different shaving geometries.

8. The magazine member as claimed in claim 7 wherein said cover component includes said iixed reinforcing member.

9. The `magazine member as claimed in claim 8 and further including a structural portion on said back component for reinforcing engagement with said fixed reinforcing member.

10. The magazine member as claimed in claim 9 wherein said hinge axis dening structure is a flexible web element connecting said guard structure to said platform.

11. The magazine member as claimed in claim 9 and further including a manually releasable latch for locking said adjusting means in a series of positions to provide a sequence of diierent shaving geometries.

12. The magazine mernber as claimed in claim 11 wherein said magazine components are of molded organic plastic material.

13. The magazine member as claimed in claim 12 wherein said hinge axis structure is an imperforate web 8 element formed integrally with said guard structure and said blade support platform, said hinge axis being located in said web.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,308,801 7/1919 Mergenthaler CiU-40.1 3,128,551 4/1964 Crown 30-63 i 3,203,093 8/ 1965 Kuhnl. 30-63 3,262,198 7/1966 Nissen 30-40.1

MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner. 

